Thursday, January 12, 2017

Budget Bushcraft Gear: Finnish Army Wool Jacket and Pants

I wanted to share with you one of best gear deals I've seen in years-- Finnish Army Surplus Wool Jacket and Pants.

I was surfing the net recently and saw these advertised on a military surplus store website. The jacket caught my attention because it was listed for only $14.95, and the pants for just $24.95.

The Finnish Jacket and Pants look very similar in style to Filson's famed Mackinaw Jacket and Pants, which I reviewed back in 2012. So they really piqued my curiosity.

Anyone familiar with Filson knows that their wool Mackinaw Jacket and Pants are NOT cheap, running in the $300-$400 range. Even buying them used on eBay will cost anywhere from $125-$200.

I looked around the net for more information about the Finnish Jacket and Pants, but there wasn't a ton of info about them. However, the small number of reviews/comments I did find were all glowing, so I called the surplus store and ordered a set to see if they were any good.

When I received the jacket and pants, I was astounded. They both looked almost new, and quality was every bit as good as my Filson wool.

Not only is the quality there, but these are some of the most stylish wool military clothes I have seen. The jacket looks and fits so well that it could easily be worn out for a night on the town.

(Note: the tag in the photo was still on the jacket when I took the photo. It was not permanently attached and came right off):

The Finnish wool is a little thinner than the Filson Mackinaw jacket and pants, but still thick enough to be usable in the bush for three season use. The pants could work in the winter if you wear some long johns under them or wear a pair of military surplus Goretex shell pants over them to block the wind.

I read on one of the forums that the last time these popped up on the market was 3-4 years ago, so I expect that they will be sold out pretty fast once word spreads. To be able to buy Filson quality wool bushcraft attire at this price is the deal of the century in my opinion.